It may seem like common sense, but many times we forget the best way to manage tasks and solve problems.  Here is how I manage my long list of things to do (for work).  Each week I write down a list of everything I need to do.  This list is not necessarily everything I need to do for the week.  This list is everything I need to do, period.  Once I have written/typed out my list, I prioritize them.

Here comes the tricky, yet simple part that we often forget: work on the items in list of priority.  I find that I am often working on items in the 3rd spot, while items #1 & #2 are un-done.  Why, you ask?  Maybe #3 is easier.  Is this a good reason?  NO.

There is a reason we prioritize things!  So, once items have been prioritized, we need to stick to the list.  If possible, we should stick with a problem/task until it is completed, BEFORE starting a new task.  Many people waste a crazy amount of time juggling multiple tasks.  In fact, I would venture to say that employee #1, who works on one task at a time, is much more efficient than employee #2, who jumps around from task to task.  Why?  Think about re-learning.  How much time is spent re-learning a task/problem that has not been thought about for a week or more?  When I fall into this pit of re-learning, I often find that I spend about as much time re-learning the task/problem, as I originally spent trying to work on the task or solve the problem.

Is this list of tasks static?  By no means, no.  We can always re-prioritize.  But, I also do not believe that we should re-prioritize daily.  Many times we succumb to outside pressures and/or influences, false deadlines, etc....  Re-prioritization should only come as a result of an emergency.